Mamata counters PM, says I am with `outdated` common man

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday countered Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s criticism of those opposing FDI in retail, saying she was with the common man who was "outdated".

"What can we do? We are grassroot-level people, we are the representative of the people. And the common man is always backdated (outdated). I am proud to say we are with the people," she told reporters here after addressing the 85th Annual General Meeting of FICCI here, where the Prime Minister made the remarks.

Mamata, whose party has vehemently opposed FDI in multi- brand retail and has quit the ruling UPA alliance on this issue, was responding to Singh`s remarks terming those opposing to FDI as being outdated.

Referring to opposition to opening of the retail sector to global supermarkets, Singh said: "I am afraid that those who oppose these moves are either ignorant of global realities or are constrained by outdated ideologies.

Making a spirited appeal to India Inc to invest in West Bengal, Mamata said her government has recently approved a land allotment policy to introduce transparency and it was for the investors to "nurture the potential available in the state".

"Our (people from Bengal) talent is very good. Our talent work everywhere from NASA to bhasa...From computer to compounder. If you want to nurture it, invest in the state, don`t worry," she said.

"Labour is very cheap (in Bengal). We don`t allow factory to close down and strike as they earlier used to," she said, referring to the previous Left Front government resorting to strikes and lockouts.

The Chief Minister stated that forceful acquisition of land was not conducive for the state or for setting up of industries.

"Sometime people say acquire the land, fire the people and then build industry. Industry cannot be set up if there is disturbance...If there is goons and guns, but industry can only be set up in a peaceful manner in peaceful areas and co-exist with the common people," she said.